Arsenal sprang a surprise by beating London rivals Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
But that result doesn’t hide the fact that a massive rebuild is needed at the Emirates – and the sooner the better.
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The Gunners may have recorded the first double over Chelsea in 17 years, and have even outperformed the Blues and third-place Leicester City since Christmas, but it doesn’t disguise the fact Arteta’s side are set to end the campaign without a trophy and perhaps even outside of Europe.
Arsenal legend Perry Groves believes his former side needs a major cash injection in the squad to even get back into top-four contention.
“I’m very critical of Arteta at this time because he’s gone backwards,” he told Jim White on talkSPORT last week.
“This team now needs £150million, minimum, to put us back into the top-four. The owners have questions to ask they are going to invest the money.
“If they are not going to invest the money, then we are going to be languishing in mid-table obscurity and looking down instead of up.
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“The question marks with the owners will be, you’ve said the right things in backing the manager and are you going to sell?”
So where do the Gunners go from here? The Athletic claimed earlier this week that a quintet of senior players also want to move on this summer.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno, defenders David Luiz and Hector Bellerin, as well as Granit Xhaka and Willian are understood to be assessing their options as Mikel Arteta prepares himself for a potential squad exodus.
Meanwhile, the rumour mill is already spinning on possible arrivals at the Emirates this summer, with fans excited about gossip surrounding Rennes wonderkid Eduardo Camavinga.
It’s likely Arteta’s Arsenal side could look quite different, so talkSPORT.com has looked at how the Gunners could line up next season…
GOALKEEPER
The Gunners are reportedly eyeing Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Unai Simon following Leno’s poor form.
The German’s contract has just over two years left to run at the Emirates, but it has been widely claimed he is one of the players who could be made available in a big squad shake up in north London this summer.
However, Leno has insisted he doesn’t want to leave the Emirates and is ‘still happy’ at Arsenal.
Responding to those aforementioned reports that he is considering leaving the club, Leno told Sky Sports: “I am still happy at Arsenal.
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“Arsenal is still a big club, a big name in the world and in the Premier League.
“There is nobody in the dressing room who says ‘I want to leave the club, I am not happy here anymore’.”
If he does leave, though, the Gunners have been linked with a move for Spain international Simon as Leno’s replacement.
However, it appears they may have competition, with Borussia Dortmund, West Ham and Monaco also interested in the 23-year-old, according to reports in Spain.
DEFENCE
Norwich’s Max Aarons has been earmarked as an option to replace Bellerin – Arsenal’s current longest-serving player – who talkSPORT understands favours a move abroad.
Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Tottenham have all been linked with talented right-back Aarons, who saw a dream move to Barcelona denied by the Canaries last summer.
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Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey is also a possible option having enjoyed a breakthrough season at the Amex.
Borussia Dortmund youngster Dan-Axel Zagadou is also being considered as a potential replacement for centre-back Luiz, with the former Chelsea defender likely to begin a new challenge away from the club.
MIDFIELD
It’s no secret the Gunners could do with bolstering their midfield options after splashing out the cash to bring Thomas Partey to the Emirates.
Rennes’ 18-year-old ace Eduardo Camavinga is widely rumoured to be the club’s No. 1 target this summer, with Real Madrid also expressing an interest.
Brighton central midfielder ace Yves Bissouma, who is also said to be courted by Liverpool, is another option.
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ATTACK
It’s unlikely there will be wholesale changes for Arsenal from an attacking point of view, although Alexandre Lacazette could be sold to raise funds.
Arteta is hoping to sign Real Madrid loanee Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis, but that won’t be an easy deal to conclude.
It’s likely, though, that fans will see youngster Bukayo Saka get even more game time next season after an impressive campaign.
They will surely be hoping Brazilian forward Gabriel Martinelli will also be given a more prominent role in the team after finding regular game time hard to come by since returning from injury.
Arsenal’s young players have been one of the few shining lights for the club in what has otherwise been a dark campaign, with Emile Smith Rowe pushing for a place as the club’s first-choice number ten after a superb breakthrough.
How Arsenal could line up next season:
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